James t



J'. T; SHAW. Boots and Shoes N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHXNGTON. D. O.

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT T O FICE.

JAMES T. sHAw, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' T JOHN MUNDELL & 00., or sAME PLAon.

BOOT AND SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,427, dated March 9, 1880.

T Application filed December 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. SHAW, a resident of Philadelphia. in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have in- 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Boots and Shoes, of which the following is i a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of boots and shoes in which a shortened vamp is used in connection with a protector of stout leather, which forms the toe proper of the shoe.

My object is to unite the edge of the shortened vamp with the toe-protector, so" as to cover the edge of the vamp and the upper edge of the tip at their junction and the stitching by which these joining edges are united, so as to prevent the ripping of the protector and the entrance of water and dirt into the shoe.

In shoes having shortened Vamps the toeprotector has been stitched wholly on the outer side of the vamp, and the vamp has been split at the edge to receive and cover the upper edge of the toe-protector; but in one of these plans the edge of the toe-protector lies on the outer surface of the vamp, and in the other the split edge of the vamp lies on the outer surface of the toe-protector, and the unit ing stitching in each case is made from the outer side and is exposed to wear and rotting, and the ripping of the uniting stitching will let water and dirt directly into the toe of the shoe. I am also aware that a toe-protector has been used with a full vamp forming a double thickness at the toe of the shoe, and in which the upper edge of the toe-protector has been united to the vamp by folding the leather of the protector on itself at its junction across 40 the vamp from side to side, such double thickness concealing the stitching by which such parts are united; but in such case the folding can only be in thetip and on the outer side of the vamp, whereas by my improvement such folding is in the vamp itself and over and upon the joining edge of the toe-protector, so that I gain the advantage of the saving in upper-leather with a toeprotector having its upper edge placed entirely beneath the edge of 5c the vamp, so that it is not liable to be ripped and to make an opening into the shoe, and even in the event of such partial ripping the edge of the tip would still be covered and cannot open upward from the vamp.

A shoe in which the toeforming protector is united to the under-folded edge of a shortened vamp is more durable and desirable than such shortened-vamp shoes now made, and is an improved article of manufacture in the trade.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a toe-protector and vamp are shown in flat positions as united along the edge of the shortened vamp, with its under side uppermost and lying over the outside of the toe-protector, in Fig. l and in cross-section in Fig. 2. The united toeprotector and vamp in flat positions, and with the vamp turned up and folded overits stitched edge, and covering the stitched edge of the protector, is shown in Fig. 3 and in crosssection in Fig. 4. The toe-protecter united to the vamp, as in Fig. 4, is shown as united to the sole in Fig. 5, while a shoe with my improvement is shown in Fig. 6.

I prefer to use sole-leather for the toe-pro- 5 tector, which is cut in blank, of semicircular form, and skived on its inner side around its edges, leaving its full thickness at the part which forms the toe of .the shoe. The vamp a is cut short with a straight edge, and is placed with its under side uppermost over the outer side of the toe-protector, and the two are thus united along their edges with one or more lines of stitching, c, as in Fig. 1. The vamp is then turned over in position to uncover the toe-protector and bring the outside of the latter uppermost, folding over its stitched edge, and completely covering it and the stitching, the vamp being then pressed compactly along its folded edge at the line of stitching. This stitching may be made close to the edge of the toe-protector, and when so made with two or more re-enforcing lines back from the edges of the vamp would be sufficient to effect the proper union of the parts 5 but I prefer to make 5 such stitching with a single line, 0, close to the edge of the vamp and about a quarter of an inch from the edge of the protector, so that the vamp can be united to the protector by one or more lines of stitching, d, above the primary under stitching c, and made from the outside of the vamp, to re-enforce the covered stitching and secure the skived edge of the protector close to the under side of the vamp, so that in putting on the shoe the upper skived edge, 0, will not catch and be turn ed down into the shoe, but its thin edge will be sewed close against the under side of the vamp. The vamp is then united to the quarters f, and, with the protector, is then made'ready for the lasting. The lower skived edge of the toe-protector is turned with the lining under the inner sole, g, and with it united to the outer sole, h. in the usual manner. The toe-protector and vamp thus united show an under-folded edge, 5, of the vamp upon the outer surface of the toe-protector, the edge of which is covered beneath the vamp, so that the vamp forms a cover for its edge, a cover for the stitching which unites it with the toe-protector, and a cover for the upper edge of the toe, forming and protecting part b. This folding under of the edge of the vamp gives a full and firm set to the toe-forming part, and makes a shortvamp shoe much more durable than heretofore.

The toe-protector is made of oak-tanned or other leather, and may be dressed, blackened,

and burnished after the sole is united to the upper, or before the toe-protector is united to the vamp; but I prefer to do this after the shoe is soled.

I claim 1. In a'boot or shoe, a shortened vamp and toe-protector united by stitching, covered and shielded from Wear by folding the vamp under on itself and over the toe-protector at the junction, and securing the upper edge of the protector entirely beneath the shortened vamp from side to side, as shown and described.

2. A boot or shoe having a shortened vamp provided with a toe-protector, united thereto by folding the edge of the vamp under and upon the outer side of said toe-protector, With the upper edge of the latter wholly beneath the turned-under edge of the vamp, the stitch in g by which the parts are united, the edge of the vamp, and the upper edge of the toe-protector being covered and shielded by the vamp, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, 1879.

JAMES T. SHAW.

Witnesses:

THEO. D. RAND, J. H. WILSON. 

